Monitoring the impact of COVID-19 in Myanmar: Yangon peri-urban poultry farmers - Early June 2020 survey round

Between 2010 and 2015, consumption in Myanmar of chicken and eggs increased by 72 percent and 40 percent, respectively. Whereas consumption of most other meats fell during this period, chicken had become the most common meat consumed in Myanmar by 2015. An important reason for this growth is that chicken and eggs were the only major animal-source foods for which real retail prices decreased in recent years. In addition, chicken and egg production is of growing importance to human nutrition in Myanmar - chicken and chicken eggs, together with fresh milk, were the only animal-source foods for which consumption by low income households increased substantially between 2010 and 2015. However, demand for chicken suffered a double hit in 2020 - first from a salmonella outbreak in January that reduced consumer demand, followed immediately by the COVID-19 pandemic. To shed light on the impact of these shocks to this critical sector, a series of phone surveys were conducted. This research note seeks to help the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of the Government of Myanmar and agricultural sector stakeholders to (1) understand the challenges that poultry farms have faced since the outbreak of COVID-19; (2) learn about adaptations and changes poultry farms are making in response to those challenges; and (3) track input procurement and marketing activities, including quantities and prices.